Admissions

Step 2—Fulfill Testing Requirements

All undergraduates must demonstrate competency in upper division writing skills before graduating with a bachelor’s degree. The Writing Placement Assessment (WPA) is a timed exam that SDSU uses to determine which students write well enough to fulfill the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) and which students require an additional writing course or two in order to fulfill the requirement.

You must take the WPA exam between the time you are admitted and the end of fall 2013 (your first semester at SDSU). If you do not take the exam before the end of the fall 2013 semester, you will not be allowed to register for spring 2014 classes or future terms at SDSU.

You are permitted to take the Writing Placement Assessment twice by the end of fall 2013. Please plan to pay the testing fee each time you take the exam. You cannot opt out of taking the WPA and enroll in a writing class to take the place of the WPA.

Test Dates

The following WPA test dates are being offered at SDSU during spring and summer 2013:

WPA TEST DATE ONLINE/IN-PERSON REGISTRATION DEADLINE
March 24, 2013 March 22
April 13, 2013 April 12
June 1, 2013 May 31
June 15, 2013 June 14
July 6, 2013 July 5

For fall 2013 test dates, contact Student Testing, Assessment and Research at (619) 594-5216.

Test Score Information

  • Score 7 or below: You will be required to take RWS 280 (or RWS 281 or Linguistics 281 if English is your second language) in the spring 2014 semester. The registration system will enforce this requirement. You will not be allowed to register until you are enrolled in the appropriate course. Once this course is completed, you will be required to take an approved upper division writing course prior to graduation.
  • Score 8 or 9: You will be required to complete an approved upper division writing course with a grade of C or higher prior to graduation.
  • Score 10 or above: You will satisfy the statewide Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement and do not have to take a writing course, unless an upper division writing course is required by your major.